


A Polite Request

by china_shop



Category: White Collar
Genre: Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-15
Updated: 2011-07-15
Packaged: 2017-10-21 10:43:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/china_shop/pseuds/china_shop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>June and Neal have a conversation about Sara. (General spoilers for season 3.)</p><p>Warning: This fic is bitchy about Sara. Please don't read it, if that's likely to offend you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Polite Request

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to dragonfly for beta.

Neal was just leaving for the office when June called him into the parlor. "Neal. May I have a quick word?"

"Of course." Neal left his hat on the banister and went in to see her.

She was drinking coffee. Bugsy was curled up next to her on the loveseat, and on the occasional table at her elbow, The DaVinci Code was splayed open.

"Dan Brown?" asked Neal.

"Mozzie's choice for the book club this week," said June with a twinkle in her eye. "He seems to think it's a necessary part of my education. I'm going to retaliate with Judith Krantz. Sit down, dear."

Neal perched on the chair next to hers. He was already late, but a summons from June was rare. "Is something wrong?"

"Not at all." June sipped her coffee and return the cup to its saucer. "It's just a small house-keeping matter." She folded her hands in her lap. "Neal, dear, I'm well-aware that it's none of my business with whom you choose to socialize. But it is my concern who has free and ready access to my home."

Neal's smile froze. "What are you saying?"

"This may be premature, but I want to avoid any misunderstandings," said June calmly. "Please ensure that Sara Ellis is not given a key to my front door." She took another sip of coffee. "You or Maria can continue to let her in, when required."

Neal blinked and quickly controlled his reactions. "That's—may I ask why?"

"Are you sure you want me to say?" June's elegant eyebrows arched.

June had never complained about his visitors before, except for Mei Lin and Pierce, both of whom had been out to cause trouble. Did she think Sara was in the same category? Neal trusted her judgment. He needed to know. "Please."

"I don't find her entertaining," said June. She sounded as if she were speaking in euphemisms.

Neal frowned. He could understand people not warming to Sara—she was no Elizabeth Burke—but she was beautiful and intelligent. "You don't like her?"

"It's not a question of liking," June told him. "I enjoy your presence, and Mozzie's, because you're both entertaining and unexpected. Sara is not. I have enough predictable people in my life." She reached across and patted his arm. "I hope I haven't offended you, dear. I really do enjoy having you under my roof."

"I'm not offended," said Neal, automatically. He stood up and gathered his wits. "I appreciate your honesty. But now I'm afraid I'm late for work."

"Go! Don't keep the FBI waiting." June smiled up at him, unabashed by her outspokenness. "You never know how they might choose to get even."

"I'll see you this evening." Neal collected his hat and walked out into the street, mulling over what June had said. The doubts that had troubled him off and on over the last few weeks, whenever he let himself stop and really think, began to twist together to form a knot of misgivings and reservations. It was an awkward situation from which to extricate himself, and there was no way he could emerge looking like the good guy, but sooner or later his affair with Sara would end—either through his and Mozzie's departure or through his and Sara's exhausting their mutual attraction.

Perhaps it would be better to end it sooner.


End file.
